The field of the invention generally pertains to massaging devices. The invention relates more particularly to a vertically-oscillating spa massager for use in hydrotherapy hot tubs.
Various types of spa massagers have been utilized in hydrotherapy hot tubs or whirlpool baths to therapeutically enhance the bathing experience, and promote health and well-being. They do so by soothing and relaxing sore, stiff muscles, and by relieving tension and stress around the neck, shoulder, and back areas typically incurred during the work day or week.
The back area in particular is highly susceptible to sore and stiff muscles resulting from overexertion, as well as from sitting upright for long periods of time. Moreover, these common back problems do not typically occur at discreet and isolated points. Rather, entire muscle groups at the upper or lower regions of the back along the length of the spine can experience strain and fatigue caused by daily activities.
Various adjustable and oscillating devices have been used to target and reach all the various areas of a bather""s back, either to massage and relax, or to simply wash and clean the back. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 992,905, a bath brush is disclosed having a system of pulleys manually operable by the bather. One cord is used to raise the brush, while the other is used to lower the brush. However, this manual method of adjusting the position of the brush can be difficult and onerous to operate because it requires considerable participation and effort on the part of the bather.
Additionally, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,623, a bathing device is shown having a water-powered rotating brush adjustably mounted on an elongated rod vertically secured to a wall. However, this bathing device also requires manual adjustment of the rotating brush to a desired height each time a different area of the back needs to be reached.
Finally, a reciprocating hydro-massage apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,833 using a double-helix drive screw to automatically reciprocate a jet nozzle in a vertical manner along a bather""s back. The jet nozzle emits water jets to perform a massage. In a first embodiment, an electric motor turns the drive screw which causes the jet nozzle to move. In a second embodiment, the double-helix screw is held stationary, while a turbine in the jet nozzle is geared to reciprocate the jet nozzle box up and down as water passes through.
While the massage apparatus of patent ""833 accomplishes its objective to provide an automatic oscillating means for performing a massage, the benefits may be limited because of the use of water jets. While serving their intended purpose, jets of heated water generally cannot transfer a high degree of pressure without irritation caused by the impingement of water. Higher pressure is sometimes desired to more effectively massage and soothe muscles. This can substantially limit the benefit of the spa massager as well as the enjoyment originally intended with such spa massagers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a spa massager for use in hydrotherapy hot tubs which therapeutically massages the back of a bather by means of a contact surface which oscillates in a vertically reciprocating manner.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spa massager as described above, which contact surface is capable of rolling movement as it oscillates in a vertically-reciprocating manner.
The present invention is for a vertically-oscillating spa massager for use in a hydrotherapy hot tub by a bather. The vertically-oscillating spa massager comprises a base member which is mountable to a hydrotherapy hot tub and which has at least one vertically-oriented track portion. The spa massager also comprises a massager means which has at least one slider portion adapted to captively and matingly slide along the corresponding vertically-oriented track portion of the base member, and at least one convex surface which effects therapeutic contact with a bather. The massager means is actuated to slide along the vertically-oriented track portion by means for vertically-oscillating the massager means.